History and origin
The Ocellated lizard was first described by Daudin in 1802, the scientific name of this species is Timon lepidus, formally Lacerta lepida. Lacerta from Latin meaning lizard and not from Greek where lacerta would mean 'scale'. Lepida also comes from Latin and means 'elegant' now named Lepidus which is the feminine of Lepida. Timon is uncertain, maybe dedicated to Timon, a Greek philosopher.

Characteristics
They are characterised by their large size, huge heads (for males) and blue spots on the flanks (mainly in adult males). This lizard is the largest legged lizard in Europe.

Description
=Size=
They hatch at around 5 cm long, averaging about 20 cm long growing up to sometimes 30 cm long (measures not including tail, max. adult size tail included is up to 90 cm long).
=Morphology=
They are incredibly robust as adults with a large head and limbs, their tail is very long and strong. Younger specimens and juveniles are slim and elegant, and their head doesn't seem as impressive as it will be at an older stage.
=Patterns & colours=
As juveniles, they are light green with spots of yellow bordered with black, these spots may be blue on the flanks also with a black border. As they grow older, they become more darker green and the black border of the spots have faded leaving behind blue spots on the flanks and irregular, smaller dots of yellow on the back which can fade into a darker shade. Their bellies are light, sometimes being more yellowish for juveniles.

Geographical range
Found in Spain, Portugal and Mediterranean France as well as for parts of the Atlantic coast of France. Also present in north-western Italy.

Subspecies
- ibericus - Found in northern Spain and north parts of Portugal. Their teeth are not arranged the same as the other sub-species, being more aligned and becoming larger and irregular towards the back of the mouth.
- lepidus - Found in Italy, France and most of Spain and Portugal where the other sub-species are not present.
- nevadensis - Found in south-eastern Spain, They are more duller in colour, their head also seems more pointed.
- oteroi - Found in extreme north-western Spain (Insel sálvora, La Coruña).

Sexual differences
Females are slightly smaller and have a much smaller head then males, other differences are the lack of blue spots on the females flanks, sometimes even having none.

Seasonal variations
Females are larger in spring due to their eggs.

Diet
They feed on large insects, but if the individual is large enough they usually eat small birds, other lizards and small mammals (up to the size of small rabbits!), they also eat fruit.

Defensive habits
Although they have the legs to run far away in no time, sometimes a specimen can feel trapped in a certain situation, should this occur, they usually try hiding their heads in the vegetation and more spectacularly stand their ground and open their mouths as if to warn you off.

Reproduction
Breeding occurs when they wake up from hibernation in spring, a week after, they are all looking for each other and mating begins. After only a few weeks about 12 eggs are laid (extremes are from 5 to 20 eggs) in a moist, warm spot, usually under hey piles, in rotting wood piles and other places of this kind. The eggs incubate for around 9 weeks before hatching.

Sexual maturity, life span
The average life span for Timon lepidus is about 25 years, they reach their sexual maturity in their third year.

Habits
Active by day. They are very agile and fast despite their large bodies, juveniles seem to not stray far from water (streams...) where as adults can be seem in very dry areas quite far from water. They are ground dwelling, but can climb very well, often doing so if chassed after in the field, they don't seem to have a fear of heights and will climb as high as they can go. In the water they are quite clumsy and can't swim as well as other lizards.

Habitat
Their typical habitat consists of typical Mediterranean scrub land, dry often densely vegetated with small open areas scattered in places. they are found up to 1000 m in altitude except for southern Spain where they live up to 2100 m in altitude, although they are less common here.

Predators
This species is hunted by birds of prey, snakes (Malpolon most common and only for fully grown specimens). One of the most damaging factors to their populations is cars and humans as we are responsible for the destruction of their fragile habitat. They only real natural predator for a fully grown specimen is a fully grown Montpellier snake, who are the only animal who is capable of immobilising an animal of this size.